IDNO

P.96830.WIL

Description

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“F. W. became Political Officer in Sikkim on January 4th, 1933.
(Photos 107-132 were taken in and around Bumthang Mpow: 75-77)
127. “Dances at Bumthang 18.7.33”
See gi: Bumthang
This is the terma (gter-ma) dance of Pema Lingpa. The musical accompaniment is drums and cymbals. The dancers wear masks of animal deities.” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place

S Asia; Bhutan; Bumthang

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

18 July 1933

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Context: With the birth of the great Terton (treasure revealer) Pema Lingpa in the 15th century, the mask dances in Bhutan took firm roots and gained an impetus as part of the Bhutanese cultural life. The Ter Cham (treasure dances) and Pe Ling Ging Sum were the most famous of the dances that still continues to this day, [Source: http://www.bhutan2008.bt/en/node/480, [Dawa Dem 18/9/2008]

Context: Williamson : Terma (gter-ma) is commonly know as ter-cham, [Dawa Dem 18/9/2008]

Context: The religious dances are symbolic and have a common theme to destroy or trample the evil spirits. The swords of the dancers symbolize cutting through ignorance while the drums drive away all malevolent evils and demons. Witnessing the dances is believed to remove sins and take one closer towards attaining nirvana or enlightenment. [Source: http://www.bhutan2008.bt/en/node/480#pa, Dawa Dem 18/9/2008]

The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]

Publication: The photograph has been digitised for the European Collected Library of Artistic Performance (ECLAP) and is accessible on the portal http://www.eclap.eu/drupal/. [SG 31/10/2012]